Conte: Batshuayi situation not good for Chelsea or the player

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte concedes the uncertainty over striker Michy Batshuayi's future as the transfer deadline approaches is not the best situation for him or the player.

Batshuayi was thought to have been nearing a loan move to Borussia Dortmund as part of a string of transfers that would see Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang join Arsenal and Olivier Giroud head to Chelsea.

But the move for Giroud is up in the air after the Blues reportedly baulked at the fee demanded by the Gunners.

And, with Alvaro Morata again missing through injury for Wednesday's Premier League fixture with Bournemouth, Batshuayi faces the prospect of playing in a game with his future still undecided.

Conte, who confirmed Roma left-back Emerson Palmieri is due for a medical with Chelsea, said being presented with such a scenario is far from ideal ahead of the visit of Eddie Howe's men.

"In this type of situation, the coach has to speak with the player. With the player involved in this type of situation. It's not simple, this situation with Batshuayi," he told a media conference.

"There is only one day. It's not the best situation for me or the player but, as you know very well, the transfer market in January is not simple to find a solution for players coming in and going out.

"But the player knows very well the situation. Today [Tuesday] he trained well and I prepared the game with him. But you don't know what will happen tonight or tomorrow. We must be ready to face every situation. It's not the best situation to face, but we have to face it."

4 - No player has scored more FA Cup goals for Chelsea under Antonio Conte than Michy Batshuayi. Fabulous. #CHENEW

Asked if there should be fixtures played on deadline day, Conte responded: "It's not right to have a match when there is the deadline passing on the market... this is not right.

"You can have this type of situation. To have players who stay half and half. In the future, whoever decides the fixtures should reflect a bit before deciding to prepare this type of situation.

"Now I have to face this situation. There are many coaches who don't like to have a game when there is the deadline of the transfer market.

"Tomorrow is a big challenge for us. This period is finishing - the transfer market period - and, for us, it will be very important... For many reasons, you can have distractions.

"But I'm very happy because I have players with great focus and, also, today the training was positive, was great. The behaviour and commitment of my players. Tomorrow we have to face not only Bournemouth but a difficult situation with the market closing.

"That's one problem we have to face, and then we have to face the injury problems. To miss Morata, Willian and have this situation with Batshuayi in the balance it's not simple to face this game. But no excuses. Don't find excuses. Try and get three points.

"We have to play a team who have rested for 10 days and have had a lot of time to prepare this game, rather than us playing every three days. A lot of problems. For this reason, the game tomorrow won't be easy for us."

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